Workshops for Adults
50 Hand Puppet Techniques
In this 1-2 hour long class, participants will learn basic puppetry skills to assist in teaching, working with children, or just performing for fun! With award-winning curriculum, master puppeteer Chad Williams teaches an engaging class of over 50 different hand puppet techniques in this fun workshop for all skill levels. Participants have included teachers, therapists, parents, District 75 professionals, actors, and puppetry enthusiasts.
Participants will create their own simple puppets and learn both proper techniques and pitfalls to avoid. WonderSpark Puppets have taught this workshop at Carnegie Mellon University, the Yale Institute of Medicine, the Museum of the Moving Image, Marymount Manhattan College and the Abraham Joshua Heschel School.
This flexible, lecture-style class can be 60 or 120 minutes depending on the needs of the participants. In addition to universal puppetry techniques, teachers will learn:
- engaging nonverbal learners
- strategies for the classroom
- working with children with autism
- fostering creativity
- literacy, storytelling, and social awareness
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Do it yourself - check out our award-winning "how-to" books with 50 basic and 100 advanced techniques inside!
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Contact us for more information.
"The workshop was a truly transformative experience, largely due to Chad's infectious positivity and engaging teaching style. His ability to captivate the attention and interest of all participants, myself included, speaks volumes about his exceptional skills as an educator." - C. Mustile, student
"...a treasure of resources and inspiration for anyone interested in the magic of the hand puppet."
- Blair Thomas, Artistic Director, Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival
Professional Puppetry Training Program
Are you new to puppetry, looking for a first step or introductory intensive to begin your career?
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Our professional training program offers access to specialized puppetry skills to all new puppeteers. Our goal is to help foster a diverse new generation of puppet theater professionals through fun and engaging sessions where participants will perform, build, and learn traditional techniques. By the end of the final session, students will be confidently performing, building, and ready to move on to auditions, entry-level positions or further studies.
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This program is supported in part by the Green Feather Foundation.
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Intensive - the program runs for 2 months (8 sessions) - meeting IRL once per week with homework on the side.
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Real World Learning - participants engage through structured learning with performance and building.
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Mentorship - provides participants with the support of a skilled mentor to assist and enhance critical hands-on learning.
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Community - participants make vital contacts and networking opportunities within the puppet theater world.
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Credit - we offer a certificate of completion or a university-recognized internship credit to be issued at the completion of the program.
The program runs three times per year and seats are limited. Typically we run 2 cohorts back-to-back, 15 students in each group, on Sunday afternoon to evening. Dates are usually Jan-March, May - July, and Aug - Oct.
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POC are highly encouraged to apply!​​​​​
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